1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to music stands and particularly to collapsible and portable music stands for sheet music.
2. Background of the Art
The present invention relates to stands of the type typically used to support a musician""s sheet music during musical performances and practices, and more particularly to structures of such stands that facilitate disassembly or collapsing for storage and transport of the stands between uses.
Music stands typically include a planar platform or backing, and a shelf or ledge along one edge of the platform and perpendicular to the platform. The platform is supported through a base, and a post or column coupled to the base and platform. The column/platform coupling typically is adjustable to support the platform at an incline from the horizontal, with the shelf extending upwardly and away from the platform in the shelf width direction. Consequently, sheet music lies against the platform with its bottom edge supported by the shelf. While this type of stand most frequently is used by musicians, it also can be used during presentations to support books, sheets of paper and other materials.
One popular music stand features an open-frame construction in which the platform, shelf, column and base are combined in a single, collapsible framework. These stands, while useful in certain circumstances, are light weight and tend to be unstable, particularly when required to support booklets or multiple sheets of music rather than single sheets. Alternatively, the most common music stands of more stable construction are difficult to transport and store.
The prior art includes examples of attempts to impart more stability to more portable music stand designs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,156,489 (Bonetti) shows a music stand with opposite sides that fold into a case when removed from a supporting standard. At the bottom of the standard is a heavy, single-piece base. The base and stand fit into one side of the case.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,553 (Cooper) describes a portable stand with a rack formed of opposite side members, each pivotally connected to an upright central spine. The spine is hollow, and includes a closed end and an opposite end with a snap-lock door. Inside the spine is a yoke for mounting the rack pivotally on a telescoping post. At the bottom of the post is a housing that supports three pivoting legs. The post and legs are collapsible to fit within the spine. A somewhat similar design is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,481,264 (Tuloweicki). In this design, cover sections on opposite sides of a central plate are hinged to the plate. A compartment behind the plate, or at the bottom of a case formed by the cover sections when closed, stores a telescoping stand and collapsible legs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,933 (Nelson) discloses a music stand with a tray which, together with a support post, fits into a box-like base and cooperates with the base to form an enclosure. U.S. Pat. No. 2,474,532 (Kitchen) shows a combination loose-leaf binder and music stand table.
While having some utility, these satchel or briefcase designs remain relatively large and cumbersome in their storage/transport configurations. They frequently incorporate extra components necessary for storage or closure but having no utility in connection with use in the open configuration as a music stand. In some cases these closure components detract from use, as with rims or flanges along the side edges or upper edges of the music supporting platform, as seen in the Cooper, Tuloweicki and Nelson patents.
Another problem associated with music stands, whether or not portable, is the lack of a capacity to accommodate accessories, e.g. reeds for woodwind instruments, pencils, markers, and valve oil, which the musician may use during a performance or practice. When placed on the shelf supporting sheet music, such accessories tend to interfere with use of the sheet music, and can be knocked off the shelf when a sheet or page is turned. As a result, needed accessories frequently are kept in an instrument case, or on the floor near the music stand, and thus are not as conveniently accessible.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,161 describes a music stand comprising:
a support structure adapted to assume a substantially planar configuration to provide a platform, and further adapted to alternatively assume a closed configuration in which the support structure is turned about at least one longitudinal axis;
an elongate first wall running lengthwise in the longitudinal direction along one edge of the support structure;
two substantially longitudinally spaced apart end closure members integral with the first wall, the end closure members having a lateral profile; and
a mounting structure adapted for a releasable coupling to the support structure when in the planar configuration, to support the platform inclined from the horizontal with said one edge of the support structure forming a lower edge of the platform;
wherein the mounting structure is collapsible and, when collapsed and disconnected from the support structure, is positionable on the support structure near the first wall, and the support structure when assuming the closed configuration surrounds the end closure members and substantially conforms to the lateral profile and forms a longitudinally extending container adapted to maintain the collapsed mounting structure proximate the first wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,887 describes a folding stand for use in supporting reading or visual material, said stand having a closed and an operational configuration, said stand comprising:
a support member, said support member having a surface area bifurcated into a first and a second panel by a first vertical hinge forming a fold line perpendicular to the longest dimension of said support member;
an elevated shelf connected to said support member by a horizontal hinge running substantially the length of the longest dimension of said support member and said elevated shelf, said elevated shelf bifurcated into a third and a fourth panel by a second vertical hinge forming a fold line contiguous with said fold line of said support member;
a first and a second foot member, each serving to provide angular support for said support member and said elevated shelf when the stand is in the operational configuration; and
wherein the stand in the closed configuration comprises a thickness of no more than four panels and a surface area equal to one half of the surface area of the support member""s surface area.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,423 describes a folding portable support stand suitable for holding a document, copy, sheet music, book, or other article at an elevated angle above a horizontal surface comprising:
(a) a pair of covers, each having a front and back surface, a lower edge and a vertical edge;
(b) a tetrahedral stand assembly having a pair of connectors which are fixedly attached to the back surface of the covers;
(c) a document support means which is hingedly attached to the lower edge of the covers, and wherein the folding portable support stand further comprises:
(d) an open configuration whereby the tetrahedral stand-assembly and covers form an elevated planar surface, and the document supporting means retains the document, copy, sheet music, book, or other article on the covers in the open configuration; and
(e) a closed configuration in which the front surfaces of the covers are visible on the outside and whereby the tetrahedral stand assembly, and document supporting means fold flat within the covers and remain assembled ready for use.
Performing musicians require the use of music stands. Those who frequently travel to give performances must have equipment that is easily transportable, compact, and robust. The music stand must also include all elements that will enable the musician to perform without unnecessary hassles caused by inadequate equipment.
This invention describes a design for a music stand that will eliminate the logistical problems concerning mobility, durability, and a power source for the light. Rather than requiring the use of a clip-on light source with an electrical cord, this music stand will have a built-in, battery-operated light source. The design also allows the music stand to fold up and be condensed into a single protective tube for easy transport. A proposed design is described and discussed.